Family Recipe. Family isn't mine, but the cook for this dish was invited as a special guest to a dinner party this writer went to in Atlanta, just as Thai food popularity was emerging. She had agreed with the hostess to constuct this family recipe, so the hostess could learn just how to use the ingredients properly.

Thai Fish Soup

You will need

1 large pot

5 cups of chicken broth

1 bunch of scallions, washed, peeled and chopped

3 shallots, washed, peeled, chopped.

1 stalk of lemon grass. This should be washed with outerlayer removed, and then whack the root end vigorously with a mallet or end of a knife. Bruising it releases the flavor of this item. It is sort of showy to let the frond hang out of the top of the pot. Just don't let it catch fire.

Heat the above ingredients to boiling and cook for about 15 minutes.

Rinse 12 shrimp in the shell, NOT FROZEN These are medium sized, in the shell about the size of the center of the palm. Head on or off is ok.

Add the shrimp and boil to weight requirements. This is usually about 3 minutes. Remove and cool, peel and de-vein if you like .... the shrimp.

Rinse 12 scallops medium sized NOT FROZEN. These are about the size of an American Half Dollar or larger.

Add the scallops to the pot, heat turned off. These will turn from translucent to white. Be careful not to overcook or they will be rubbery.